OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! MY CAT IS NOW TRAUMATISED BY THE HUGE SQUEAL I MADE WHEN I SAW THIS. PRETTY PICTURES AND PRETTY WORDS AND I AM FLAILING LIKE A MAD FLAILY THING RIGHT NOW! I CAN NOT STOP FLAIL. SERIOUSLY! IT'S NOT PRETTY! NOT LIKE THIS PRETTY PRECIOUS THAT I LOVE SO INCREDIBLY MUCH OMG!

OKAY, I AM GOING TO TRY TO RESPOND WITH A WELL-REASONED, THOUGHTFUL COMMENT. (I PROBABLY SHOULD STOP CAPSLOCKING FOR THAT BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN. SO PLEASE READ THEM AS IF THEY COME FROM SOMEONE WHO IS CALM AND RATIONAL, NOT SOMEONE WHO IS BOUNCING AND SQUEALING LIKE A TODDLER LET LOOSE IN A SMARTIES FACTORY.)

RIGHT. OMG. ISABELLE. BABY ISABELLE, WHO HAS LONG BRAIDED HAIR DOWN HER BACK (AND PROBABLY HATES SITTING STILL WHILE IT'S BEING BRAIDED BUT DOES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HER AU PAIR TOLD HER THAT PRINCESSES DO, SO SHE HAS TO EVEN IF SHE WANTS TO BE SPINNING AROUND DOING PIROUETTES INSTEAD). I LOVE THIS FIRST GLIMPSE AT HER. OH IT'S SO PAINFULLY TELLING, HOW SHE HAS TROUBLE ACCEPTING PEOPLE BEING GENEROUS AROUND HER--HOW SHE JUST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND (AND THIS I THINK IS THE KEY TO IZZY, HOW SHE'S BORDERING ON BEING A SOCIOPATH AT TIMES BECAUSE THE REALITIES OF HER WORLD AND THE THINGS THAT ARE EXPECTED OF HER JUST DON'T MESH THAT WELL. BECAUSE REALLY, SHE DOESN'T NEED OLD WORN OUT SHOES THAT DON'T FIT, AND WHY WOULD SOMEBODY WANT HER TO WEAR THEM?!!!) I ESPECIALLY LOVE HOW SHE TRIES TO BE SO ADULT WITH HER MANNERS: The adult words felt heavy and awkward on her tongue, but then manners always did. They always would, no matter how old she got. HELL YEAH, IZZY. YOU'RE A REICHENBACH, WHAT USE DO YOU HAVE FOR MANNERS? (DID I TELL YOU YET THAT I LOVE YOU, MYSTERY AUTHOR? BECAUSE I DO!)

AND HER IMPATIENCE IN "PERFECT"!!! (NOT THAT I CAN RELATE TO IMPATIENCE AT ALL OF COURSE BUT) THIS INSISTENCE THAT SHE BE PERFECT NOW MAKES ME WONDER SO MUCH ABOUT HER PARENTS, HOW THAT WAS INSTILLED IN HER, HOW SHE ACCEPTED IT WHILE TOM WAS CERTAINLY REBELLING, AND IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL INSIGHT ABOUT THE CHARACTER THAT I NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE. AND THE PICTURE THAT GOES WITH IT -- OH THE LOVELY LITTLE SLIGHTLY CHUBBY CALVES THAT OF COURSE CAN'T PIROUETTE PERFECTLY NO MATTER HOW SHE TRIES, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES SHE DOES IT OVER. I LOVE THIS DETERMINED SIDE OF HER AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO CUDDLE HER TOO, BECAUSE I'M SURE SHE NEVER GOT NEARLY ENOUGH CUDDLES.

IS THIS COMMENT GOING TO BE TOO LONG? I SUSPECT THAT IT IS, I'D BETTER MOVE ON TO PART 2...